Washing machine



Nov. 19, 1935.l w. ROCKE y 2,021,466

" WASHING MACHINE TTQHNlYE Nov. 19, 1935.

W. ROCKE WASHING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 19,1935` UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE William "Roche, Bloomington. IIL .application June 14. i935, serials. 26,551

(ci. ca -37) 1o claims.

actively agitating water and garments in a tub without utilizing the conventional dolly.

A further object is to provide a washingy apparatus including a tub-in'which there is disposed means for agitating .water"t.herein, which means includes a device capable of-forcibly pumping" water into the tub in a manner to cause active turbulence in the water to agitate -thesaine to produce a washing action.l

Another object is to provide a washing apparatus as aforesaid including a tub adapted to contain water andv garments, a pumping device capable of continuously taking water from the bottom of the tub, forcing the same into an intermediate portion'of the tub in a manner to agitate the water therein and return thesame to the pump, there being means for separating the garments from the water flowing into the pump.

A further object' is to provide means for agitating water and garments in a tub comprising a rotary pumping mechanism disposed centrally of the tub adapted to continuously circulate the water therein in such a manner that the water is drawn from a sump portion of the tub and forced into' the main body of waterat a point well' below the surface thereof whereby the pumped water is capable of creating va highly turbulent movement in the tubto bring about an efiicient washing action.' y x An additional object is to provide means as aforesaid for forcing water under pressure into the lower part of a tub to agitate the water and means for adjusting the pressure to modify said agitation. v Another object is to provide means as aforesaid, for forcing water under pressure into the lower part of a tub to agitata the water, consisting of mechanism for taking the water from a sump portion of the tub, forcing it upwardly in the central portion of Ehe tub, downwardly toward the bottom of the tub and outwardly against abeille, which diverts it toward the outside wall of the tub whence it is diverted upwardly and inwardly toward the center of the f bination of elements inclu edges as shown.

REISSUED tub to cause a water action capable of agitating and washing garments. i

' A further object v's to provide a washing device as aforesaid, wherein the pumping elements consist of an impeller extending upwardly from 5 the sump portion of the tub, a shaft affixed inthe impellerand passing through the bottom of the tuband a driving motor directly connected to "said shaft, said shaft having driving connection `with a power take off mechanism whereby the 10 washing. machine and associated wringer may be driven 'from'a' unit power sourcei Other objects will appear in the following description and accompanying drawings in which;

Fig'. 1 is a sectional side elevational view show- 15 ing vdetails of construction to be described;

Fig. 2 is 'a--sectional plan view taken von liney 2-2 in Fig. 1; and e 4 Fig. 3 is a plan view of my device as the same would` appear ready for practical use.

My washing machine comprises a novel coma tub insupported by any suitable means suc as a skirt structure II having castors'IZ attached at the lower The tub has a depressed bottom wall I3 above and centrally of which is a circular baille plate i4. The baille plate Ais supported upon the bottom of the tub by a structure comprising'legs I5 secured tothe tub ln any suitable way. 'I'he baffle plate 30 structure includes an upright tube portion I6' which extends from a pointl somewhat below the baille to a point preferably above the normal line of water in the tub.

In its upper portion the tube I6 is provided 35 with downwardly directed openings I1 the funcr tion of which will be explained shortly.

Surrounding the tubev I6 is a cylindrical member I8 which is disposed and dimensionedto. ex-

tend from a point above the tube I6 to a point 4o near the baiiie I4 as shown, with suitable clearance between it and tube I6.

Cylinder I8 is open at its bottom end and is supported upon tube structure I6 by means of a stud movement beingopposed by a thumb nut 2| sc ewe'd upon stud I9 outside vthe top wall of the 50 c linder. It will be apparent that manual adustment of the thumb nut will result in vertical movement ofthe cylinder whereby the lower end thereof is made to move toward or away from the central portion of Abaille M iso-adjust the dimensions of the open space between them. 'I'he top end of the cylinder is provided with an outlet duct I8 shown closed by a cap I8" for a purpose to be described. s l Baiiie I4 forms a continuous surface surrounding the tube I6 and is arcuate in section so as to extend downwardly' and outwardly from the tube toward the wall of the tub Ill. A screen Il' is disposed so as to cover the -space between .the outer edge of baffle vI4 and the wall of the tub.

Disposed within the tube is an impeller 22 extending substantially from the bottom of the tub to `the `top of the tube. The impeller is aiilxed to a vertical shaft 22', the upper end of which is journalled in a suitable bearing 23'formed in the tube structure. The lower end of the shaft passes through an adjustable gland 24 disposed in the bottom of the tub and a bearing 25 formed in a housing structure 26, to have connection, throughV a suitable coupling 21, with the shaft of a motor 2`I.

Housing 26 isherein shown as secured to and supported by the bottom wall of the tub and the motor 28 as supported lupon the housing by means of a bracket structure 29. It is to be understood that any other suitable means of housing and supporting Amay be used.

Secured to shaft 22', within housing 26 is a worm 38 which, as best shown in Fig. 2, meshes with a worm gear 3| mounted upon a shaften. Shaft 32 is journalled in bearings 33 formed in the walls of housing 26 and its outboard end is journalled in a bearing 31 formed in a housing structure 38 supported upon the skirt structure I I as showin` The outer end of the shaftcarries an affixed gear 39 meshing with a gear 40 attached to a vertical shaft 4I which is journalled at its lower end in a bearing l2 formed in the wall of housing 38'. l

The purpose of the mechanism just described is to provide a power take-off connection` between the driven shaft 22 and shaft 4I, which latter is adapted to drive an associated wringer mechanism not shown. l

Itfwill be noted that the depressed bottom of the tub forms a sump below baille I 4 and Vscreen I4 and that the screen forms a barrier which permits water to flow freely to the sump and pump but prevents garments from entering the area.

It is further to be noted that any suitable form of water projecting device may be utilized in place of the auger form of impeller shown. The intention is to force water under pressure into a lower part of the tub to bring about the action noted and this may obviously be accomplished by any suitable pumping apparatus.

In operation, the impeller 22 is rotated at a relatively high rate of speed, whichl forces water upwardly in tube I6 to discharge therefrom through openings I1 into cylinder I8 and thence through the opening between the lower edge of the cylinder'and baiile I4, over the baille and into the upper portion of the tub.

,In flowing outwardly over the arcuate baille the water is diverted outwardly and upwardly substantially along the course indicated by the arrows.

It will be apparent that such movement will cause agitation of the contents of the tub to provide an efficient washing action.

It will also be apparent that the agitative action mayconveniently be modiiled in intensity by means' of adjustment of the thumb nut 2| whereby the gap at the lowerend of cylinder I8 is restricted or widened to alter the velocity with which the water is projected into the tub.

When it is desired to remove the water from the tub, the cylinder I8 may be set down into contact with baille I4, by means of the thumb nut 5 2|, to prevent the water from iiowing into the tub. 'Ihe cap I8" is next removed and a hose connection made to outlet duct I8'. Operation of the pump will thereupon force water through the outlet duct whereby the tub may be emptied. 1c

I have herein shown and described an embodiment of my invention. Modifications of structure are obviously possible without alteration of principle. I do not wish to be limited in structure or function except within the scope of the apl5 pended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a washing machine, the combination of a tub adapted to contain a body of liquid, a baille plate extending transversely of the tub axis and lying adjacent to but separated from the bottom of the tub and having its periphery adjacent t0 but spaced from the wall of the tub, a perforate member extending between the barile and tub wall, said bafile and perforate member forming a barrier between the upper and bottom portions of the tub, the normal liquid line being substantially above said baille, pump mechanism to continuously take liquid from said bottom portion and deliver the same at a point above and substantially centrally of said baille, means to thereafter direct said liquid over the' top surface of the baille outwardly toward the wall of the tub, whereby two cycles of movement of, water are caused, a first cycle consisting of continuous movement of water successively through the pump, over said baille and downwardly through said perfor-ate member into said lower portion of the tub, thence into the pump, and a second cycle consisting of movement of liquid outwardly l over said baille toward. the tub wall, upwardly therealong, inwardly toward thecenter of' the tub, thence downwardly toward 'and outwardly over said baille.

2. In a washing machine lthe combination of a tub adapted to contain a body of liquid, a sump in the bottom of the tub, a transverse barrier comprising a perforate' and i'mperforate member located above thel sump, pump means adapted. to take liquid from said sump and deliver the same within the tub directly upon the surface of said barrier, and to thereafter direct it outwardly toward the wall of the tub at a point adjacent the bottom of the tub, said pump continuously moving liquid from the sump, into the tub,-over the baille thence into thesump, as a result of which movement thev body of liquid is caused to have a circulatory movement over said baille toward the Wall of the tub, upwardly therealong toward the surface of the liquid, thence inwardly toward the center of the tub and downwardly toward and again over said baille.

3. A washing machine capable of washing garments while the sameare wholly suspended in l liquid without contact with moving parts comprising a liquid holding tub, pump means having an inlet for lwithdrawing liquid from the Ibottom directed upwardly therealong toward the sur- 'y lo movement, the body of liquid being thus conv tinuously circulated and agitated within the tub y without contact of moving parts within the tub, as a result of which garments are continuously agitated and circulated in the'water while being suspended therein. Y

- 4. Ina washing machine, a liquid holding tub, means to conduct the liquid in said tub upwardly, centrally of the tub, means surrounding said first means' for thereafter directing said a confined annular sheet, means to conduct the liquid in currentsv from said last means downwardly and outwardly to the side wall of the tub, upwardly thereof an'd then inwardly towards the axial center land downwardly, and means to,y conduct the liquid to said first means. I

5. In a washing machine a liquid holding tub, a sump formed in the bottom o f the tub, a transverse barrier located above the sump, means associated with said sump for forcibly delivering liquid therefrom to `the upper surface Aof and centrally of said barrier, being so shaped as to direct the pumped liquid in current downwardly and outwardly to the side wall, up the wall and then from the wall, inwardly and downwardly 4and means to continuously conduct liquids from the barrier' tothe sump.

6. A washing machine, a tub, means to divide the tub into an `upper and a lower portion, comprising a member having an outer perforate part and an inner imperforatepart, a rotary pump extending upwardly through said last part and having an inlet communicating with said lower portion, means to direct the liquid from said pump downwardly against said imperiorate part in an annular sheet and means to direct the liquid in currents from said annular sheet downwardly and outwardly over said member up said wall, inwardly toward the axial center and downwardly.

-7. In a washing machine the combination of` a tub adapted to contain a body of liquid, a sump in the bottom of the tub, a transverse barrier comprising a perforate and imperforate member located above the sump, pump means adapted to take liquid from said sump and deliver the same within the tub directly upon the upper surface of said barrier. and to thereafter direct it outwardly toward the wall of the tub at a point ladjacent the bottom of the tub, said pump continuously moving liquid from the sump, into the tub, over the baille thence into the sump,"as a result of which movement the body of liquid is caused to have a circulatory movement over said bame toward the wall of the tub, upwardly therealong toward the surface of the liquid, thence in direction away from the tub wall and downwardly toward and again over said baille.l

8. In a washing machine the combination of a tub adapted to contain a body of liquid, a sump in the bottom of the tub. a transverse barrier comprising a perforate'and imperforate member located above, the sump. pump means adapted to take liquid from said sump and deliver the same within the tub directly upon the surface downwardly toward said of said barrier, and to thereafter direct it outwardly toward the wall of the tub at a point adjacent the bottom of the tub, said pump continuously moving liquid from the sump, into the tub, 4over the baille thence into the sump, as a 5 result of which movement the body of liquid is caused to have a circulatory movement over said baille toward the wall of the tub, upwardly therealong toward thesurface of the liquid, `thence inwardly toward the center of the tub and down- 10I wardly toward and again over said baille, all in such a manner that garments placed in the water are caused to move with the `water during its. circulatory movement whereby they are agitated in the water while at the same time being sus- 1.5,

pcnded therein.

9. In a washing machine, thecombination of a tub adapted to contain a body of liquid, a baille plate extending transversely of the tub axis and lying adjacent to but separated from the bottom o! the tub and having its periphery adjacent to but spaced from the wall of the tub, a perforate member extending between the baille and tub wall, said baille and perforate member forming a barrier between the upper and bottom por- 25 tions of the tub, the normal liquid line being substantially above said baille, pump mechanism to continuously take liquid from said bottom portion and deliver the same at a point above and substantially centrally of said baille, means 3o tinuous movement of water successively through 355 the pump, over said baille and downwardly through said perforate member into said lower portion. of the tub, thence into the pump, and a second cycle consisting of movement of liquidl outwardly over said baffle toward the tub wall, upwardly therealong, inwardly toward the center of the tub, thence downwardly toward and outwardly over said baille whereby garments placed in the liquid are agitated in suspension in the liquid as a result of 'the second mentioned 45y cycle of movements. l0. In a washing machine the combination oi a tub adapted to contain a body of liquid, a sump in the bottom of the tub, pump means in the tub adapted to take liquid from said sump anddeliver the same under pressure within the tub at a point spaced from the wall and substantially below the level of the liquid means to direct the liquid outwardly from said point in a line substantially parallel with the surface oi 55 the liquid and toward the wall of the tub, said pump continuously moving liquid from the sump, into thetub as aforesaid and into the sump, as a result of which movement the body of liquid ls caused to have a circulatory movement away 6.0-

from said point of delivery toward the wall of .the tub, upwardly therealong toward the surface of the liquid thence in direction away' from the tub wall and downwardly toward and again away out of the tub.

WILLIAM Rocks. 

